When Should Ninjago End?

[Lego David]

Ninjago has lasted for almost 10 years at this point, and there is no sign of it going away any time soon. However, the theme can't last forever without getting repetitive or loosing sales (which some may argue that has already happened with the theme). When do you think the line should naturally end, and what do you think would be good way end it? And after it ends, what do you think would be a good replacement for it? 

Edited March 18, 2020 by Lego David

[The Brick Boss]

They're never going to go away. Ninjago is too popular. 

Edited March 18, 2020 by Brandon Pea

[Metanoios]

The new wave looks promising. They can go at least a few years. Also young children don't own any of the previous sets, so for a young mind it is still new and fresh. The problem is your skewed vision as an "older" customer. That is the curse of aging. Nothing is new, just a slight variation of previous ideas and concepts. I mean the wheel got quite repetitive after a few thousand years... Hollywood is making the same movies for 30 years now. Fast and Furious 25 is still gonna a be a big hit with the Rock as an old man

Edited March 18, 2020 by Metanoios91

[KotZ]

You can say the same thing with other evergreen themes. How many times can they build a hospital/police station/bus/gas station/etc.

1 hour ago, Metanoios91 said:

Nothing is new, just a slight variation of previous ideas and concepts. I mean the wheel got quite repetitive after a few thousand years... Hollywood is making the same movies for 30 years now. Fast and Furious 25 is still gonna a be a big hit with the Rock as an old man

Exactly. Star Wars is just a retelling of the Hero's Journey, etc.

Back to Ninjago, I don't follow the lore, so I don't know how close or far they are from a planned end (if they have one) or if they have an end that is ready whenever LEGO says "It's done," and every wave between now and then is filler. I can see it going for two or three more years. Bionicle went 10 years as well and still had story to continue before it was axed. Ninjago was also planned to end in 2013 and then came back and is still going.

As for after, it would probably be another Big Bang-mashup. Ninjago is fantasy ninjas crossed with city and sci-fi. Nexo Knights was fantasy knights crossed with sci-fi. Personally, I'd love sci-fi pirates. There'd be a good variety of alien parts and minifigure torsos, and you can touch on a big story, like characters searching for a specific treasure, or if they want that group mentality, a group of pirates coming together on a ship to steal the map to a treasure, and then the next wave is searching for it, and so on.

[Metanoios]

6 minutes ago, KotZ said:

You can say the same thing with other evergreen themes. How many times can they build a hospital/police station/bus/gas station/etc.

Exactly. Star Wars is just a retelling of the Hero's Journey, etc.

Back to Ninjago, I don't follow the lore, so I don't know how close or far they are from a planned end (if they have one) or if they have an end that is ready whenever LEGO says "It's done," and every wave between now and then is filler. I can see it going for two or three more years. Bionicle went 10 years as well and still had story to continue before it was axed. Ninjago was also planned to end in 2013 and then came back and is still going.

As for after, it would probably be another Big Bang-mashup. Ninjago is fantasy ninjas crossed with city and sci-fi. Nexo Knights was fantasy knights crossed with sci-fi. Personally, I'd love sci-fi pirates. There'd be a good variety of alien parts and minifigure torsos, and you can touch on a big story, like characters searching for a specific treasure, or if they want that group mentality, a group of pirates coming together on a ship to steal the map to a treasure, and then the next wave is searching for it, and so on.

Sci-fi pirates is a cool idea, but Star Wars is kind of blocking the space/sci-fi genre not Ninjago. I hope that Star Wars tanks even more in the future (or gets significantly less shelf space) so that it opens room for other space themes again. The prices with the Disney license are becoming ridiculous. They will milk it till the last fan looses interest

[KotZ]

8 minutes ago, Metanoios91 said:

Sci-fi pirates is a cool idea, but Star Wars is kind of blocking the space/sci-fi genre not Ninjago. I hope that Star Wars tanks even more in the future (or gets significantly less shelf space) so that it opens room for other space themes again. The prices with the Disney license are becoming ridiculous. They will milk it till the last fan looses interest

We had Space Police III during Star Wars' run, as well as Mars Mission. I think if LEGO made clear it's not a Star Wars ripoff, or even brought back the monorail (please), they could do it.

[MAB]

I'm not really into Ninjago, and probably won't be into the replacement. So for me, it doesn't matter if they keep on repeating similar sets year on year. If they do this and they keep selling to current kids, then there is no need to end it only to have to start a new theme hoping it takes off. They tried Chima and NK and they didn't last, so why kill off a winner in Ninjago if it continues to be a winner.

[TeriXeri]

I never collected the theme, but the upcoming Castle / Fantasy type sets might likely change that.

[UberCorp]

I feel like Ninjago is going to stick around until LEGO releases another non-licencesed theme that ends up have the same amount of staying power and then they'll start phasing Ninjago out. While I personally haven't cared for the majority of the "sub themes" they've done and feel it's very repetitive, the core audience does seem to still love it so it's probably still got at least a few more years left in its life.

[Digger of Bricks]

On 3/18/2020 at 8:11 AM, Lego David said:

When do you think the line should naturally end, and what do you think would be good way end it?

Regarding the first half of this question, I think @UberCorp's on the right track...

18 hours ago, UberCorp said:

I feel like Ninjago is going to stick around until LEGO releases another non-licensed theme that ends up have the same amount of staying power and then they'll start phasing Ninjago out.

As for how Lego can fittingly bring a proper close to the theme, I don't know how to answer that myself given that the theme somewhat leans on the tie-in show's narrative which I don't follow; but, I do feel that the theme's final wave should at least stray closer to Medieval Japanese Fantasy than something modernistically Cyberpunk.

On 3/18/2020 at 8:11 AM, Lego David said:

And after it ends, what do you think would be a good replacement for it?

Well, what I'd want to succeed it would be a big-bang scaled spiritual successor to Adventurers...  ...but as for what can properly fill the void it leaves behind, I'd guess it's safe to say that like Chima and Nexo Knights (maybe even Monkey Kid), its setting will be a anachronistic fantasy one with no relation to our place in space and time. Like Nexo Knights, it could have color-coded protagonists, or completely buck that trope like Chima had.

[Pulp Detective]

The sooner the better.

[Digger of Bricks]

On 3/18/2020 at 11:21 AM, KotZ said:

We had Space Police III during Star Wars' run, as well as Mars Mission.

As it has been pointed out elsewhere in the past, Mars Mission, Space Police III, Alien Conquest, and Galaxy Squad only coexisted with Star Wars when there wasn't an ongoing cinematic trilogy at the time. 2007's Mars Mission (the first in-house Space theme in six years) came two years after the cinematic release of Ep. III while Disney's The Force Awakens came two years after 2013's Galaxy Squad, and we haven't seen another in-house Space theme since... 

[Lucarex]

Personally I think it should have ended with TLNM and the Shark Army (still a shame they never made the army of burnt generals as CMF). And of course, it peaked with Ninjago City, such a fantastic set.

Since then (except maybe elements of the oni/mask series), it’s spiralled downwards in terms of story. Just become very stale at this point IMO.
 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Lucarex

[Kim-Kwang-Seok]

Ninjago has endless potential due to its rich lore
It can be sci-fi, cyberpunk, steampunk, and all interpretations of asian medevil stuff.
And yes now as we see - it can also be European medevil. Current wave is the one with the least amount of Asian influence in it - GoT "White Walkers", Hunted, Ghosts, or even pirates all had some kind of Asian touch in it.

And for those who miss classic castle or pirates: I dont understand why?! both figures and builds of the latest waves a few years back, were sooo uninspired and overpriced.
Ninjago beats every theme with its new molds (sooo many armor pieces!), detailed prints, builds and the best prices. If you buy a SW set for 100 - you may get 5 figures, with 1-2 of them being really interesting. With Ninjago; chances are you'll get 9 figures with 30-50% more pieces and more new molds and almost every figure leg printing and and..

Last season may have been the weakest; but it also had many strenghts. I say: if a childish Ninja-robot theme brings the best out of Lego and saves me money: keep it going.

[meliander]

29 minutes ago, Kim-Kwang-Seok said:

And for those who miss classic castle or pirates: I dont understand why?! both figures and builds of the latest waves a few years back, were sooo uninspired and overpriced.

Because it's our childhood:) But seriously, I think it's just the aesthetics of Ninjago that appeals more to the younger audience. I don't see anything interesting in this theme and I don't care about new molds if they are useless for me. I like more realistic themes, and even if there is a fiction/ fantasy twist, I like when it is done moderately and consistently. A mishmash of motorcycles, katanas and robots - it's just not for me. However, I can see how the theme can be appealing to those who like this sort of thing. I don't mind this theme at all. If it makes money for Lego - that's great.

[Digger of Bricks]

2 hours ago, Kim-Kwang-Seok said:

And for those who miss classic castle or pirates: I don't understand why?! both figures and builds of the latest waves a few years back, were sooo uninspired and overpriced.
Ninjago beats every theme with its new molds (sooo many armor pieces!), detailed prints, builds and the best prices.

It's not so much the previous themes as they once were that they yearn for but a revisitation to the subject matters that they were based upon. Who said Lego can't give those themes the same treatment that Ninjago has received, just perhaps on a smaller scale?

[Harkonen]

I don't think it should if it still sells(which it does). Ninjago is becoming like Power Rangers and with the new movie deal with Universal I'm sure lego will try to make another Ninjago movie reboot. I was going to buy the videogame based sets but I'm saving up instead for the summer wave which is more interesting. 

[Tobias_Jay]

I’m interested in what everyone else thinks about the connection between Ninjago’s longevity and the cartoon. If Cartoon Network tanks or decides not to air/fund the series going forward and they can’t get anyone to pick it up, would LEGO put in the effort to keep the series going? I know that not everyone that watches the cartoon buys the sets and vice versa, but I wonder if Ninjago’s life is tied to the continuation of the story or is purely based on the quality of the sets they have on the shelves. 

I would also think, in regards to another Ninjago movie with this new Universal deal, that LEGO would be wary of trying it again, unless they have learnt from what went wrong the last time. 

[Lego David]

2 hours ago, Tobias_Jay said:

I know that not everyone that watches the cartoon buys the sets and vice versa, but I wonder if Ninjago’s life is tied to the continuation of the story or is purely based on the quality of the sets they have on the shelves.

I think the TV Show is the main thing what keeps the series going. Without the TV Show, Ninjago would have ended way back in 2013... But because of the show's insane popularity, the theme continued, and it still continues to this day. 

If let's say, they decided to end the Show, but continued making sets, I bet the sales would decline drastically. 

 

[Digger of Bricks]

16 hours ago, Harkonen said:

I don't think it should if it still sells(which it does). Ninjago is becoming like Power Rangers and with the new movie deal with Universal I'm sure lego will try to make another Ninjago movie reboot. I was going to buy the videogame based sets but I'm saving up instead for the summer wave which is more interesting. 

I'd imagine Universal would want to kick-off their own "LCU" with a more broadly-encompassing movie in the vein of 2014's The LEGO Movie; and by the time they've developed, produced, and released that first movie, Ninjago will have likely wound-down by then, right? 

[Harkonen]

Just now, Digger of Bricks said:

I'd imagine Universal would want to kick-off their own "LCU" with a more broadly-encompassing movie in the vein of 2014's The LEGO Movie; and by the time they've developed, produced, and released that first movie, Ninjago will have likely wound-down by then, right? 

Let's hope that's not the case. I do wonder how will the animation look like, like the WB lego movies or something else? 

[Gorilla94]

On 3/19/2020 at 9:58 PM, Kim-Kwang-Seok said:

Ninjago has endless potential due to its rich lore
It can be sci-fi, cyberpunk, steampunk, and all interpretations of asian medevil stuff.
And yes now as we see - it can also be European medevil. Current wave is the one with the least amount of Asian influence in it - GoT "White Walkers", Hunted, Ghosts, or even pirates all had some kind of Asian touch in it.

And for those who miss classic castle or pirates: I dont understand why?! both figures and builds of the latest waves a few years back, were sooo uninspired and overpriced.
Ninjago beats every theme with its new molds (sooo many armor pieces!), detailed prints, builds and the best prices. If you buy a SW set for 100 - you may get 5 figures, with 1-2 of them being really interesting. With Ninjago; chances are you'll get 9 figures with 30-50% more pieces and more new molds and almost every figure leg printing and and..

Last season may have been the weakest; but it also had many strenghts. I say: if a childish Ninja-robot theme brings the best out of Lego and saves me money: keep it going.

It´s not the unlicenced theme´s fault if the sets are overpriced. It´s no valid argument not to produce such things in the future because some megablocks were too greedy back then.

To make it short: I don´t want "inspired" figures and sets. I want well made representations of what i love like the wonderfull dragons knights with this gorgeous bronze, black, green colour scheme (but now with a few more different weapon and helmet-moulds, dual moulding and printed arms/legs here and there). You should just accept, that some people don´t want to mix these things. For my part i love many themes. History, Mythology, Fantasy, some licences, Lego City... Give me these things in their classic form and i am happy. I do mix these occasionally like for example a classic viking sitting in the parisian restaurant, too. But i don´t want a hipster-Viking wearing glasses and a pink unikitty-fan-scarf over his chainmail (as a print i cant separate. if they use the new scarf mould i´d be fine with it) combined with a anime-logo print on his helmet whch makes the piece useless for me. If the figures and builds were made in a way that allowes me to use everything with mild modifications as a classic pirate-, city-, viking- or samurai-thing and not just as something from this crazy mashup world with tons of anime-influence, I´d buy it. So I just bricklink something like the bone armor for my orc chieftain from time to time, which isn´t satisfying. I don´t say Ninjago should end. But there should also be sets not with less but without asian influence. One big set for every theme like a good blacksmith and a pirate ship and i wouldn´t complain.

 

[The Brick Boss]

49 minutes ago, Gorilla94 said:

I don´t say Ninjago should end. But there should also be sets not with less but without asian influence.

Well...... it's an Asian theme....

[Gorilla94]

20 minutes ago, Brandon Pea said:

Well...... it's an Asian theme....

Yes. His point was that this asian (i'd say a pink ninja is more specific manga than just asian) influenced theme can include all those classic themes like pirates, castle and so on. I said there should be western/ not manga sets for these themes, too. I'd buy a monkey kid line of sets without scifi- stuff, too. My point isn't that i don't want asian themes. I want more themes without this manga-mashup-style that produces very little usefull prints and moulds for other themes.

The red Orcs from Nexonights for example were at least designed in a way that makes them still usefull for generic fantasy. 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Gorilla94

[The Brick Boss]

7 minutes ago, Gorilla94 said:

Yes. His point was that this asian (i'd say a pink ninja is more specific manga than just asian) influenced theme can include all those classic themes like pirates, castle and so on. I said there should be western/ not manga sets for these themes, too. I'd buy a monkey kid line of sets without scifi- stuff, too. My point isn't that i don't want asian themes. I want more themes without this manga-mashup-style that produces very little usefull prints and moulds for other themes.

Sorry I think I might've misread. My apologies. I think a western theme is a great idea. I actually recommended a desert/outback/ranch subtheme for City once. One with cowboys and stuff like that.